Plot thickening
DMZ · April 20, 2007 at 7:05 pm · Filed Under Mariners
Just to stir this up more:
They probably just wrote up the notes based on the probable starters briefly listed on the M’s site and then retracted, right? I mean, what other explanation could there be?
hat tip to crosscut
Who is this ‘Brendan’ guy they are talking about?
Well, the M’s will have to make a move on the 40 Man roster to add “Brendan” Morrow.
Baker’s got a new post on his Time’s blog about the mix up. Seems to explain things well. Apparently, the M’s have no relationship with on input on their own website. This might be true, but it sounds a little too Alberto Gonzales-like.
As the Geico Cavemen would say, “Next time, do a little research.”
More importantly, was it spelled “Brendan” on the M’s site? Because if not, this could be from two different sources.
I’m assuming the Brendan mix up was on Texas’ end. Brendan Morrow is the captain of the Dallas Stars.
Umm, the disclaimer is quite clear on MLB.com. The writers aren’t even paid by the team’s but by MLB Advanced Media.
Also considering that Felix hasn’t been DLed yet, I’m dreading Julio Mateo’s start.
This raises a whole other question, though — we can reasonably assume that whoever works on MLB.com doesn’t throw random stuff up there. Why did they put Morrow as the probable starter, when they could just as easily have done nothing?
we can reasonably assume that whoever works on MLB.com doesn’t throw random stuff up there.
Why do you think that. I bet there are discussions at MLB Advanced Media…
“Hey, who is starting for the Mariners next Tuesday?”
“I dunno.”
“So who should I put in?”
“Dude, just put in something. They’re having a kegger in the meeting room!”
“Mateo… Morrow… Mateo… awww, WTF, I’ll put in Morrow.”
I agree with DMZ. Unless chimps are randomly hitting buttons, those employed by MLB Advanced Media must be in contact with the baseball clubs as they gather and publish information. Otherwise, how would any information be published on any team’s website. It seems odd the the MLB Advanced Media employees would just randomly “guess” that Morrow would make the start.
Yes, or it could mean that they trusted a report that was both posted on this site and was airing on KJR-AM from a different source.
Don’t assume they don’t read your site or pay attention to other media as well.
Dave’s post on this site was based on the info on the M’s official (but not so much so) website.
Let me rephrase that. The M’s site had the info prior to my seeing Dave make a post about it.
Then why was it up prior to the seattlemariners.com site stating so?
And I just read further down and have read DMZ’s post clarifying this situation. I don’t mean to distract again.
I personally saw him listed as the starter before I read Dave’s post. When Dave actually wrote it, I don’t know, but during the AM hours (pacific time) it was listed on the M’s site. Maybe the good folks at MLB Advanced Media anxiously await posts by bloggers across the country and then immediately add the info to team sites. If this is so, MLB needs to hire better employees to write for their websites.
except that was a seperate source on the radio.
Rotoworld by the way quoted USSMariner and not MLB.com, why would that be?
I have no idea who was on the radio or why Rotoworld would quote USSM. But if MLB is getting info from sources other than the clubs, with whom they have strong professional and economic relationships, I would be shocked and disappointed. I go to the M’s site for info and USSM for analysis and conversation. If the MLB-run M’s site can’t be trusted for accurate info, they have serious issues.
Okay, so, I’m back. A few things.
I didn’t get the info from the Mariners team site. It’d be nice if I did, I guess, because then I could just say “blame them”, but I didn’t. Maybe they talked to the same guy I did (which seems likely), but I was told that O’Flaherty was coming up (true) and Morrow was starting Monday (apparently not true).
Since I’m friends with an MLB.com beat writer, I know a little bit about how the dynamic between the official site and the team works – they’re essentially a reporter, just like the Times or P-I. They do get information directly from the club’s P.R. guy (in the M’s case, Tim Hevly), but by and large, they function similar to the other beat writers that work for the local dailies.
As for the whole inside info stuff, I’m getting to the point where I’m rather tired of posting it. I don’t really like having my personal credibility tied to what other people tell me, honestly. I understand that things like this can only turn out differently than what I post so many times before people start assume that I’m making this stuff up, and I don’t really want people thinking that about me.
So, yea… I’ll probably be posting less stuff like this in the future. I’m not a reporter, I’m not pounding on source’s doors looking for information, and I don’t really care to be known as the breaking news guy. I’d rather just be the guy who helps run the site that talks about the M’s with some intelligence.
The KJR report was from Jason Churchill of ProspectInsider. As a former journalist the general rule is two credible sources.
I think that if Derek, who actually taught me something about journalism more than a decade ago, were writing for MLB.com and noticed that a credible site and credible radio station were reporting the exact same thing he would like write it up and push publish.
Dave and Derek,
I do want it to be known that in my former life producing for KJR we were wrong quit a bit when we tried to break stories. Luckily for people in radio when you are wrong you only go into people’s memories, and not a near permanent archive. Heck, I had someone I trusted once give me false information with such confidence that I challenged the only person who really knew. Burned a huge bridge.
Heck in nearly three years of full employment at KJR I broke only one story. I was responsible for the first “major media” mention of one more, and helped develop dozens of others. But my real “breaking news” record is more like a big fat ONE.
I beat Peter Gammons to the Jermaine Dye three way deal to Oakland by about five minutes.
I am NOT trying to belittle anyone at this site. Heck there are many days that I check here before the site I run myself.
The general thread in this thread is that info concerning Morrow starting was circulating amongst knowledgable baseball people. We can either assume that someone inside the organization let the info out accurately, in error, or that the info was made up by someone outside of the organization. Since a variety of people thought this likely (Churhill, USSM, MLB.com), I find the last option the least likely.
Don’t worry Dave, I don’t feel belittled by you at all. I just find the whole “we’re going to tell you things in the morning and then deny them in the evening” thing to be a bit annoying.
At least I got the O’Flaherty callup right, eh? So I’m batting .500 today. Blah.
.500 is excellent in this world.
Keep track of Gammons some time.
TEk, you missed option C, someone inside the organization launched a misinformation campaign for their own reasons. It happens. Most often around the trade deadline in baseball, and concerning injuries in the NFL.
and as a very small positive, I finally remembered to update my profile here on USSMariner.
I’m really tempted to tell the town who told me Morrow was starting on Monday…
Might be best to wait until after someone else starts…there’s still a small chance they were right.
I don’t think they’re letting Morrow relieve and struggle tonight with the intention of putting him out there on Monday. I’d expect if that was the intent, they’d have him throw some simulated innings, or do some side work, try to get him on as much of a normal off-cycle as possible in the next few days.
#24 Yeah, that’s possible, but other than hurting the M’s by forcing a denial, how does that deliberate misinformation aid anyone? How does the misinformer benefit, unless they are disgruntled and want to make people mad.
You have to forgive folks from Texas…Y’see Brendan Morrow just scored the winning goal for the Dallas Stars the other night. Perhaps they think everyone who has a similar name should just have the same name. Anyways, I think it is safe to say Brandon Morrow won’t be starting against Texas. And for the record, neither will Brendan Morrow.
I’m concerned that if Julio Mateo starts, he might try to vulture a win from himself and cause the implosion of the universe as a result.
I kind of enjoyed the earlier discussion that assumed Morrow was starting on Monday. The main point seemed to be “it is a very bad idea to have Morrow start on Monday at Texas.” Apparently the Mariners don’t think it would be a great idea, either. No big deal.
Was the AP the first to report the idea of Morrow starting on Monday? Seems like I read that on the (since updated) ESPN story pretty early yesterday. If ESPN was reporting that could be why mlb.com thought it was safe to print. It also had mentioned O’Flaherty was in the clubhouse Thursday night.
Baek should getthe start given his track record against Texas, and Woods’ comments make it sound like he’s been told he’s not an option.
Morrow needs to be sent down. I was OK with having him up if he was going to be doing Rafael Soriano’s job, but he’s basically just being the third long man out ofthe pen which isn’t doing anyone any good. He and Baek should switch jobs for the forseeable future.